Leica X1 12.2 MP Digital Camera - Black

This is a fantastic camera, and it is the first digital camera I have owned. I was waiting for something to replace my Contax G1 and Contax S2 SLR and this fits the bill perfectly. At first it doesn't seem anything too different to use, and there are plenty of niggles in reviews I have read. But - they are just that - niggles. The camera is easy to use with or without a viewfinder or grip(particularly in manual mode) - just the right weight and size, the autofocus is not slow and the 35mm lens is just right. What starts to feel special about it when you've been using it for a while, is the pleasure of just turning one of the knobs to change aperture and/or shutter, when composing a photo - so much easier than going into menus, and very much like a traditional style of photography. The picture quality is fantastic - enough said. And that's what you want. It isn't a sports camera but then most compacts aren't. It does have auto exposure bracketing, but I found the exposures to be so accurate that there was no need to use it. SO simple to use - while you are deciding on shots, you just press a button to make the ISO higher or lower if not enough light, and turn a knob on top likewise if there isn't enough light, or if you want a smaller aperture for a photo and more light (ie change the ISO instead) - fast, easy and hands-on - and no going into the menu. I have both the grip and the viewfinder and I thought they would be essential, but they're not, the camera is fine to hold without the grip (and mostly I preferred it that way), and is also not too heavy to use without the viewfinder. But for those who complain it is 'too light' - well when you've been using it for an hour or more it doesn't feel light any more - it feels just right. Any heavier and it would start to feel too heavy. As far as I'm concerned it is perfect - for a digital camera! (I still prefer manual film cameras for their lack of electronics!)

Terrific photographic tool, with absolutely superb RAW images, extraordinarily natural rendering, and really easy to use in spite of the range of creative controls.

The essentials are at hand in the shape of speed and aperture analogue dials, but all the other really important functions for making great pictures are a simple button press away, from 1/3 stop exposure & flash comp over 6 stops, white balance, ISO, focusing choices, timer and and flash choices. Simple and intuitive.

The RAW image files are 18.5 MB and are perfection out of the camera. Additional JPEG options include excellent B&W options that produce more filmlike results than the alternatives I saw out of a Fuji X100. This set up preference ensures that each shot produces stunning colour RAW images and a really lovely B&W jpeg with each shot.

Focusing in low light is slow, notwithstanding pretty good accuracy, a bit more predictable than the much faster focusing operation of the Fuji X100. In low light where the distance you're shooting at is a bit more predictable over a number of frames, you can focus using AF, switch in a jiffy to MF, and the AF focus distance is retained, so all you need to do is a little fine tune and you're set up for fast low light shooting. It's little details like this that just work so intuitively without having to study a manual, and make it such an easy to handle little camera. In daylight focusing is plenty quick enough.

Expensive but worth every penny. I sold my EOS pro-am kit including some damn fine lenses, and don't regret for a minute the changeover to a more portable, thoughtful, simpler form of photography. The brilliant rendering of these images, and absolute lack of distortion or other issues such as coma, abberation and fringing (eg through trees into the light) ensure that the images produced, in jpeg or RAW, are unadulterated and pure.

Top item.

If you are into Leica's, this is a high quality camera good enough for everyday use.

Has all the functionalities that you would expect from a digital portable camera.

Amazing image quality in a compact camera. (Seemples!) Yes its expensive, but you only get what you pay for and this is excellent.